Lost Time
by TV Manic 2
Summary: Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff
1. Blood Ties

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I own nothing...at all...nada D:

**Author's Notes:**

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!

Thanks very much to everyone that read, reviewed and favourited Hunted! I hope you like this next instalment just as much :D

The plot is set one year on from Hunted, but we're starting with a flashback

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One: Blood Ties**

**Twenty Years Earlier**

**New York**

_All I see when I close my eyes is her. Her skin deathly pale. The light fading from her eyes. And so much blood._

_I tried to save her, but I wasn't good enough. I am...I was...a surgeon. I saved lives every day. But I couldn't save her. My wife; my beautiful Mary. _

_It was a year ago now. I had taken her to some medical conference that I must have thought was vitally important at the time. Our children, Susan and Johnny, were at home, sleeping, when it happened. I was driving. It was dark and raining. I didn't see the other car till it was too late. I tried to save her. _

_The hardest thing was going home and telling the children. Susan burst into uncontrollable tears that I couldn't stop. My already broken heart shattered to see her so upset. But Johnny's reaction was worse. He said nothing; no tears, no tantrums of grief. He just stared with those pain filled eyes. _

_He still wasn't speaking three months later when I lost my job at the hospital. I couldn't work knowing that I hadn't been able to save her. That it was my fault. I couldn't find another job. I was too drunk to try. Too drunk to care. But we needed money to live. And how do desperate men make their money? They gamble. _

_The less money I won, the more booze I drank. And what's happening now? This was inevitable._

Dr. Franklin Storm stood watching the silhouette through the window of the front door. He recognised the man from the club where he had gambled away all of his money. Frank wasn't a stupid man; he had known when he had started this downward spiral that something like this would happen. But he hadn't cared.

The house was quiet. It was late at night and Johnny and Susan were upstairs in bed. The man knocked loudly on the door, making Frank jump at the sudden noise. The racket would wake the kids; he had to end this quickly.

Cautiously, Frank opened the door. The man was rough looking, with no hair on his head but a thick layer of stubble lining his jaw. A scar lined the side of his face and his eyes were an emotionless grey. When he spoke his voice was as rough as his appearance; "Time to pay up Storm. $50,000."

Frank's eyes grew wide in surprise. He had know he had lost a lot of money, but was it really that much? "What? $50,000?"

"Plus Interest," the man smiled, revealing a gold tooth "That makes it $62,000. Pay up."

"I-I don't have that kind of money!" Frank objected, adding to the man's sadistic delight. He took a forceful step into the house and Frank tried to slam the door on him. He caught it easily, his smirk growing wider as he revealed his gun.

"If you value your life, you'll find that money right now, doc," the man pressed the gun to Frank's chest, pushing Frank back as he closed the door behind him.

Frank reacted purely on instinct. He grabbed the barrel of the gun and tried to twist it out of the man's grip, but the man wouldn't let go. He followed quickly with a left-hook that took the man by surprise. Before Frank had time to capitalise though, the man recovered and jabbed him in the ribs, making the doctor double over, and then brought an elbow down on his back. Frank collapsed to the floor, but was instantly lunging forward, tackling the man to the ground.

That's when the first bullet went off.

It ricocheted off of a lamp and embedded itself in the wall as the struggle continued. The two men grappled on the floor, both trying to gain ownership of the gun. Punches and kicks were exchanged until the second bullet left the barrel.

The fight left the man in an instant as he saw the blood trickling from the wound in his chest. Frank backed away hurriedly, watching as the man took his last breaths.

Frank didn't see Johnny and Susan watching.

* * *

**One Year Later**

**New York State Penitentiary**

The prison was an iron box filled with tortured souls and surrounded by wire. Everything was grey. The walls. The floor. The furniture. The only break in the endless grey was the bright orange jumpsuits worn by all the inmates.

Susan Storm sat on one side of the glass window, the plastic phone pressed to her ear as she studied the broken man in front of her. He was grey too, if you didn't count the orange uniform. His once blonde hair had darkened and his tired face was sullen. His blue eyes were dull. _That's why the inmates have to wear the orange jumpsuits, _Susan decided_, if they didn't the guards wouldn't be able to find them. _

"Hi dad," she greeted quietly. This was the first time she had visited him since he had been sentenced with the manslaughter charges. She didn't know what else to say.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Susan," Frank hung his head in shame. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know dad," Susan replied evenly. "If I blamed you I wouldn't be here. I wanted to see you."

Frank watched his daughter through the glass. He managed a small smile before tears filled his eyes. "S-Susan...I don't want you to come here anymore..."

"But-!"

"No, I don't want you to see me like this. You are not to come here again. You are to forget about me..."

"Dad! You can't expect me to do that! I love you dad!" Sue cried, pressing her hand to the glass.

Frank visibly flinched. "I don't deserve your love. And you don't deserve my shame. Please, please don't come here again." The father and daughter looked into each other's eyes in a moment of understanding.

"And what about Johnny?" asked Susan quietly. "What shall I tell him?"

With a pained sigh Frank answered "Tell him I'm dead."

"Fine."

Susan hung up the phone and stood from the small booth. She didn't look back as she walked to the door and waited for the guard to open it and let her out. She would never go back there again. She left behind the man she once called her father.

Once outside, Susan headed straight for the car her aunt had driven her there in and climbed into the back seat. A silent Johnny looked at her curiously, and then stared blankly forward as Susan relayed the news.

"He's dead."

* * *

**A little while after the accident in space just after they have found out about their powers (some point during the first film)**

The phone rang three times before Susan picked it up. "Hello?"

"_This is Janice O'Riley from New York State Penitentiary, Am I speaking to Miss Susan Storm?"_

Susan froze instantly. It had been years since she had heard from this place. After a shocked silence the tinny voice of O'Riley asked again. "U-u, Y-yes, I'm S-Susan..."

"_Good Afternoon Miss," _O'Riley continued. _"I am calling to notify you of a prison break that took place here last night. Your father, Mr. Franklin Storm, is one of the missing inmates. We are looking for him and we would appreciate it if you would call the police if he tries to contact you."_

"R-right, s-sure," Susan nodded, her state of shock not wearing off. "Th-thank you for letting me know." Slowly she put the phone back in its cradle. _He escaped? Why?_

Susan slumped into the closest chair, trying to process the information she had been given. She decided not to tell Johnny; it was best if he kept thinking that Franklin Storm was dead. How would she explain that she had lied to him all this time?

* * *

**Present Day**

**Doom's Evil Lair of Doom (Somewhere in America)**

Doom sat on his thrown, adorned in his hood and mask, surrounded by computer screens. Each one had a different image; some from inside his own lair, some from inside the Baxter Building. His eyes followed the grainy footage of the siblings. Too many times they had beaten him down. This time would be the last.

He had always believed that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself (or manipulate someone smarter than you and take credit for what they do) But since his last two attacks had been futile, he decided he would try something different.

"Leonard." The small man darted forward from the shadows at his master's call. "How is Dr. Storm doing?"

"The treatment is going well sir...the scientists have said that he'll be ready in a month..."

"Too long." Doom interrupted. "Bring him here now."

Leonard knew better than to protest and disappeared from the room. Doom observed the siblings again. He had been watching them for years now, he knew them so well. But still they eluded him. They mocked him with their existence. But now they were fragile. After the events in Latveria, the bond between the siblings was holding on with tenterhooks. Now was the time to act.

The large double doors swung open, and a shackled Dr. Storm entered following Leonard. He had been cleaned up since Doom had broken him out of that prison. His hair was grey with age but he was clean shaven and tidy. He was no longer slow and tired but strong and quick. The treatment was going very well indeed.

"Good Evening Dr. Storm," Doom greeted with an evil smile on his face.

"Mr, mr, MR!" Frank sing-song replied, his eyes darting nervously. "I haven't been a d-d-d-doctor for years sir!"

"Ah yes," Doom nodded. "_Mr._ Storm, do you know why I broke you out of prison all those years ago?" Frank shook his head, although it could have just have been a nervous twitch. "For moments like these. Did you know you're a grandfather, Mr. Storm?"

"G-g-grandfather?" Frank stuttered, his head and eyes twitching faster.

"Yes, yes, you're daughter Susan had a baby girl," Doom explained. "I was thinking that, if you were still in that prison, you wouldn't even have known of the little girl's existence. But I'm going to give you the chance to meet her. I'm going to tell you exactly where she is...

"...a little family reunion..."

* * *

**I had forgotten how much fun this is to write!!! XD**

**Please review! **


	2. Next Generation

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I own nothing...at all...nada D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to Lil Kanny, Easy Button, silverangel83, Kitty, SadietheBonanzaGal and Sk8erKid1000 for reviewing the first chapter!

Enjoy Chapter Two!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Next Generation**

**The Baxter Building **

It wouldn't stop crying.

"How can something so small be so loud?" moaned Johnny exasperated as he stood next to the cot. The newly formed nursery was lilac and filled with stuff toys, with a fairy mobile hanging above the baby cage. Johnny leant on the bars and gazed down at the screaming, red-faced bundle, unsure what to do. "Ben, help?"

"What do you expect me to do? She sees me and the lights go out!" Ben objected, hovering by the door, a safe distance away. "Why don't you pick her up? Maybe she just wants a hug."

"Okay," Johnny resignedly sighed. Babies and children were not his thing. Why Susan insisted on him being the babysitter he would never know. He scooped up the baby, holding her the way Sue had shown him several times, and held her in his arms.

She fell silent.

Johnny smiled in relief and tickled her under her chin. The tiny baby girl gurgled a giggle and grabbed at his finger. She was small for her age (3 months) due to the fact that she was premature, a complication that had caused a lot of tenseness and worry in the Baxter Building. She had little tufts of blonde curls on her head and bright blue eyes.

"Aww, Matchstick...I think she likes you," Ben commented from the doorframe. Instantly the baby girl recommenced screaming, frightened by Ben's deep, rough voice. Johnny tried to shush her but she refused to quieten again. Seconds later all the lights on that floor went out.

Little Leona Richards had discovered her power at the ripe old age of two months. She could somehow increase the voltage of electrical items (her favourite ones being light bulbs) until they shorted out. Because of this she was not allowed anywhere near her father's lab.

"Ah Pebbles!" Johnny huffed in frustration. He glared in the direction of Ben and transferred Leona to one arm to free up his right hand. He engulfed his hand in flame and held it up to light the room. He looked like a new version of the statue of Liberty. Leona, awed by the flames, quieted as she watched the flickering fire curiously. Johnny sighed again.

"This is the last time I babysit."

* * *

**The Next Day **

**The Baxter Building**

The small medical office was a sterile white and brightly lit. Cabinets and draws lined two walls, filled with everything a surgeon could ever need. An operating table lay in the middle surrounded by currently unused machines and IV poles.

Dr. Kayla Maiden sat on her wheelie chair at her desk in the room she had made her haven. She spent the majority of her time in there, though thankfully she wasn't often joined by a critically ill or injured patient. That day though, she had her other most common company. Johnny Storm.

"You need to get out more," Johnny stated simply. He sat perched on the edge of the operating table, watching over Kayla's shoulder. He earned himself an annoyed glance. "Seriously, you spend more time in here than Reed spends in his lab...and that's saying something."

"I have work to do," Kayla replied.

"What work? I haven't been stabbed or shot recently..." Johnny smirked. He still had the scar from when Doom attacked the Baxter Building two years ago, as well as bite marks on his arm from the hunting dogs in Latveria.

Kayla sighed and put down the papers she was reading. She swivelled in her chair to face him. "I'm working on a research project. Trying to see if I can't regain some of my reputation in the medical community."

"You still need to get out more," Johnny decided. "In fact, I'm going to take you out."

"You are?" Kayla asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I'm going to take you to a club, you like dancing right?" Kayla glared at him. "Oh, come on. It will be fun. You can relax, have fun...get out of this really white room..."

A knock sounded at the door and at Kayla's acknowledgement Ben Grimm entered. He wore one of his large football jerseys and quadruple E trainers, the blue contrasting his orange skin. "Hey, hope I'm not interrupting, I just need to borrow the kid for a minute."

Kayla shrugged as Johnny hopped of the edge of the table. As he headed out the door he turned back and winked at the good doctor "Remember, I'm taking you dancing, soon."

"Do I have a choice?" Kayla rolled her eyes, already knowing the answer. Johnny gave her a winning grin and left the room.

He followed the rock man down the corridor, curious as to what this was about. Ben smiled at him. "You taking Kayla on a date huh?"

"It's not a date, I'm just getting her out of that room for a little while," Johnny denied. He was a little disappointed that their potentially romantic beginning had led them to becoming 'just friends'. But then again, maybe this 'not date' was his chance.

"Not a date," Ben smirked disbelievingly. "Kid, you've never 'not-dated' a girl in your life."

"So?" Johnny retorted quickly, making Ben smile even more. Johnny glared at the rock man's back as he was led down another corridor and into the nursery. "Why are we...?"

"Ben!" cried a surprised Sue as she saw who entered. She became quiet when she saw who followed him. "...Johnny...oh..." Both siblings realised the Thing's meddling. Ben nodded to the pair of them and made some excuse before quickly shuffling out the room and closing the door behind him. Johnny stood nervously by the exit as Sue sat on the chair next to the baby cage cuddling Leona.

After an awkward pause, Johnny murmured "H-how was your date last night?"

"Erm...it was fun I guess..." Sue answered. "You know Reed; he was talking about one of his inventions most of the night while I spent my time worrying about Leona." She analysed her brother. "But that's not what you really want to ask me, is it?"

"I don't know what I want to ask you Sue. It's kinda difficult to have a conversation with the sister that tried to kill you," Johnny answered quietly, his voice taking on a sarcastic tone.

Sue flinched at the accusation. It may have been a year ago now, but the damage still remained. Sue feared their relationship was irreparable, and she knew it was her fault. "I've explained that several times...things have changed now. It's not gonna happen again. I think it's time to move on now Johnny."

"Are you serious?" Johnny's anger flared. Leona squirmed in Sue's arms and he forced himself to lower his voice. "You tried to kill me, in fact you did, and you think that if you tell me to just get over it I'll forget about it and things will go back to the way they were? It doesn't work like that Sue."

"I know, I just...I don't like this. The way we are. We used to be so close Johnny, remember? It was just you and me, we relied on each other. We trusted each other..."

"You broke that trust when you decided that killing Doom was more important than my life."

Johnny flung open the door and left the nursery without looking back, the door swinging shut behind him. Susan was left holding her baby with tears in her eyes , regretting that day in Elysium Wood where she lost her brother's love.

* * *

**Somewhere in New York City**

Cars. Shops. People. Cell Phones. Handbag Dogs. The city was so busy, the pedestrian traffic flowing quickly but the cars stationary in rush hour traffic. Horns blared angrily mingling with the cacophony of voices and shouts of people and street vendors. It was all so different from what he remembered. The skyscrapers seemed taller. The people dressed differently. The cars were newer. Had it really been that long since he had lived in this city?

Franklin Storm walked slowly down the middle of the sidewalk, staring in awe at his surroundings. His slow, completely oblivious state forced passers-by to weave around him, giving him strange looks as they passed.

He was dressed in the clothes the metal man had said would help him fit in with this new time. Twenty years sure changed the fashions drastically. He wore plain black trousers and a smart-casual blue shirt so that he was presentable for the family reunion. The metal man had told him he had to go to the Baxter Building, but at Frank's oblivious look he had given the basic description of a skyscraper with a heck of a lot of satellites on top.

Frank walked the streets looking for the skyscraper, but what was New York if not a bunch of Skyscrapers? It was like looking for a needle in a pile of needles as far as he was concerned.

Up ahead there was a crowd of people gathered around a shop window. As Frank got closer he could see that it was a technology shop and there was a bunch of TV's on display. The twenty or so different size screens showed the same news channel. A young woman and an elderly man sat at a desk recapping that day's headlines

"_...thankfully no-one was harmed. Within ten minutes of the train crash the Fantastic Four were on the scene immediately beginning the rescue procedure..." _The screen changed to show footage of the rescue taken from a helicopter. Frank gasped when he saw the foursome. The monstrous rock thing was tearing open the train doors to allow the passengers to climb out. _What is that...that...thing? _Frank wondered, not realising the irony.

He saw one of them stretch itself in order to perform some miraculous rescue. _They're f-f-freaks! Monsters! Mutants! What's going on? Why are these people...who are these people?_ The woman of the group caught a falling cart with some sort of bluish light thing and held it up as a passenger climbed out. Then the last one burst into flame. Just became a ball of fire and flew around apparently helping somehow. _They must be some sort of experiment gone wrong...and now these people see them as heroes? Freaks!_

"_...the Invisible Woman, aka Susan Richards helped in this accident, her first one since the birth of her child. Her brother, the Human Torch, aka Johnny Storm was quoted to have..."_

"No," Frank murmured. Not his children. "What happened to you?"

_They're freaks. They've become monsters, abominations, anomalies of science. They were no longer human. But what about the baby? My granddaughter? I cannot abandon her to these mutants. I need to save her. To rescue her from _them_. It's the least I can do after what I've let my children become._

With new resolve, Franklin Storm headed in the direction he hoped the Baxter Building was in.

* * *

**Reed's Lab**

It was ingenious. No, it was better than ingenious...it was...inspired. A technological leap forward that would pave the way for things to come. It was the future of science.

It was a glorified toaster.

Reed growled in frustration as he shoved his invention to one side. He leant back in his chair and rubbed the ache at the back of his neck. He had spent so long on T.O.S.T (Technical Optical Searing Tool) and yet it had proved to be futile. He considered working on B.R.E.D (Biopic Reaching Engine Device) or even B.U.T.A (Blue Uniform Testing Amplifier) but he was tired. He was about to leave to find Sue when a console bleeped.

Reed pressed a button and smaller version of the hologram that worked at the front desk appeared. "Roberta? What is it?"

The holographic woman blinked robotically and then spoke with a mechanical voice _"A guest has arrived. He claims to Mr. Franklin Storm. Would you like to see him?" _

"F-Franklin Storm? Err...yes, I'll be down in a moment," Reed ended the communication slightly confused. Okay, very confused. He knew that Sue had lied to Johnny about their father being dead, but he was sure the man was in prison for a manslaughter charge. Could the man in reception really be him? "If it is, Sue's gonna have some explaining to do..."

Reed sighed as he stood and left the lab to meet the mysterious Mr. Franklin Storm.

* * *

**Another fun chapter to write! And a fast update! I'm on a roll lol XD**

**Please Review!**


	3. Betrayal and Lies

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to EasyButton, SadietheBonanzaGirl, silverangel83, Lil Kanny, and LuffysAngel for reviewing!

I have the real urge to yell "I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack" again cause that was such a bloody long hiatus, but I shall resist the urge and just apologize profusely for the lack of updates! Sorry!

But anyway, enjoy the long, long awaited Chapter Three!

* * *

**Chapter Three: Betrayal and Lies**

**The Baxter Building**

It was a long walk down to the reception area from the lab. Reed was left alone with his thoughts, which was never a good thing. He was so sure that Franklin Storm was in prison, how on earth was he suddenly waiting in the Baxter Building? He hoped this was just a prank, a really bad practical joke, because if it wasn't the already rocky relationship between Sue and Johnny wouldn't last.

Finally Reed reached the reception area and was struck instantly by the similarity in appearance between Franklin and Johnny Storm, which was then followed by dread as he realised that this was no joke. They had the same facial features and a similar way of holding themselves. From the distance Reed stood from the man he could have mistaken him for Johnny, although Franklin was obviously a lot older, looking tired with greying hair.

"Mr. Storm?" Reed asked uncertainly. The man managed to tear his gaze away from the holographic receptionist and looked towards him. Reed approached cautiously and offered his hand for the man to shake. When he was this close to Mr. Storm he could see that he and Johnny even had the same eyes.

Franklin hesitated before taking Reed's offered hand and shaking it. "Hello."

Reed tried to relax and smile, but there was something in the way Franklin looked at him. Maybe he just didn't recognise the world famous superhero – he had been in prison for a long time. "I'm Reed Richards, Susan's husband." Reed decided it would have made the moment even more awkward if he suggested that he was technically Frank's son-in-law and so remained quiet.

"I'm Franklin Storm, Susan's father." Franklin replied almost robotically.

Curiosity got the better of Reed; "I thought you were in prison?"

Franklin visibly flinched, and Reed regretted asking, but he had to know. Franklin quickly covered his reaction and answered, almost too casually. "I was released on parole last week; thought I should come and visit my family...so much has changed..." Franklin seemed to drift off, staring at something faraway.

Reed blinked, slightly confused by the change in attitude. "I'll call Susan, I'm sure she'll want to talk to you. Roberta?" Reed glanced at the hologram that nodded and set to calling Susan.

Franklin continued staring off at the faraway place while Reed waited awkwardly for his wife. There was something very not-right about Franklin Storm, but it wasn't Reed's place to decide if he should be trusted or not, it was up to Susan what should be done, with maybe a little bit of input from Johnny. This was going to be an interesting day.

Five minutes later, a confused and slightly scared looking Susan entered the reception area, gasping when she saw her father. She glanced at Reed who shrugged unhelpfully, and then walked up to Franklin, unsure how she should react. "Dad?"

Franklin snapped out of his reverie and noticed Susan for the first time. He smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes, and swept his daughter into a hug. For a moment Susan tensed, but she quickly relaxed into her father's embrace. After a minute that seemed to go on forever, Susan pulled back and held Franklin at arm's length. "What happened dad?"

"I got released on parole, last week, thought I'd come see you" Franklin repeated brokenly "and your brother."

Susan closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming herself so that she could think clearly. Already the dread of having to tell Johnny the truth seemed to block out the gap in Franklin's story. "You told me twenty years ago to tell Johnny that you were dead."

Franklin blinked as if he had completely forgotten that fact. "Oh."

* * *

Kayla was in the too-white room again. Johnny entered without knocking and sat down on the examination table, waiting for the good doctor to look up and notice him. Eventually she looked up from her notes and turned to glare at him, "Have you never heard of knocking?"

"No point, you probably wouldn't have heard it anyway," Johnny easily replied, smirking slightly. Kayla just rolled her eyes and continued staring at her notes. "How can you spend so much time in here?"

"Easily."

"That's just not human, were you a hermit in another life?" Johnny joked, hoping to provoke Kayla a little. She was more fun when she was riled up and arguing with him.

"What is it that you want?" Kayla huffed, exasperated at Johnny's persistence. "Do you annoy Reed this much or is this a privilege you reserve entirely for me?"

Johnny smiled; the grin lighting up his eyes. "This is just the only way to make you socialise. Have you thought about my offer?"

Kayla looked confused for a second and then sighed. "The dancing."

"The dancing." Johnny repeated.

"I can't say I've thought about it, no," Kayla lied. Of course she had thought about it, it was an offer difficult to refuse. It would be nice to get out of the Baxter Building, she was starting to go stir crazy in here...and the whiteness of this very white room was starting to get to her...

Johnny just continued smiling knowingly as he watched Kayla decide. She was so easy to read, she might as well have been thinking out loud. He waited for her to sigh as she came to her decision, and then answered for her "That's a yes then."

She narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed at how he did that. She nodded reluctantly, making Johnny hop off the table and grab her hand. He pulled her into a standing position and proceeded to hug her. It wasn't a lover's embrace, but it was more than friendly. That was pretty much their relationship. Caught somewhere between just friends and romance. Sometimes it was annoying, but it was never awkward.

Kayla pulled away with a smile on her lips. Suddenly her smile turned into a frown of concentration as she focused on something else. Johnny watched her curiously, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Kayla shook her head with a little laugh, "Someone new is in the Baxter Building, I didn't recognise the heat signature is all."

That was part of Kayla's icy ability – she could identify and locate different heat sources within a certain radius. She would just use it subconsciously to keep track of everyone inside the building, but mainly to keep an eye on Johnny. She never had to leave her little white box to know where he was.

Johnny was curious now. He knew the new person was probably just a new postman or an electrician or something, but what if it wasn't. It was Kayla's turn to watch and read Johnny as he considered who the mystery person could be. He turned to look at her but before he could ask she answered "He's in the reception area."

"So it's a He then...wonder what he's doing here." Johnny headed towards the door, taking Kayla by the hand and dragging her with him.

Kayla realised there was something wrong before Johnny did. She pulled him to a stop just outside the reception area, indicating that they should wait. From where they stood they could see Reed standing there awkwardly watching the exchange between Sue and another man who had their back to them.

The man seemed taken aback by something Sue said, his only reply being a surprised "Oh."

* * *

Susan sighed heavily, closing her eyes again. She dropped the hold she had on her father's arms and took a step back. Franklin looked offended and hurt by her reaction, but didn't move to hold her again. "You should leave," she murmured. "Now is not a good time for this. Maybe some other time, when Johnny's ready to know..."

"You can't keep lying to him you know. He'll find out eventually," Franklin replied, the threat barely disguised by the disappointment in his tone.

"I know," Susan blinked away tears, trying to think what to do next. "You should go now."

She looked away from her father and glanced past him, shocked to see a confused Johnny being held back by Kayla. How long had he been there? Franklin noticed the change in Susan's features and turned around to see what she was staring at.

Father and Son stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, Franklin trying to think of something to say and Johnny trying to understand what was happening. Kayla kept a hold on Johnny's arm, partly to be of some comfort, but mainly to restrain him if he tried to do anything stupid. Sue watched the exchange between them, knowing everything was about to blow up in her face.

They all stood, frozen in that moment until Johnny finally found his voice. "Y-y-you're d-dead."

The slightly crazy side of Franklin had the urge to go 'Boo!' at his son, but luckily his rational side managed to maintain control. "I was in prison."

The images Johnny had struggled to suppress all those years ago suddenly flashed before his eyes. He remembered being woken by the sound of the front door slamming and loud voices. He had crept out of his bed and along the corridor until he could see his father from the top of the stairs. Sue had joined him moments later, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. His father and the strange man had gotten into a fight. He didn't know what to do. If he could have used his voice he would have screamed when the gun went off the first time. When the gun went off the second time he was sure that his father had been shot. But no, it was the strange man who lay there gurgling and gasping his last breaths.

Johnny blinked, still not quite believing what was happening. He managed to point at Sue and stammer "S-she said you were-"

"I'm not." Franklin said.

It had scared him, that day Sue had told him about their father. When she had climbed into the car and simply said those two words, he hadn't cared. And that scared him. He had just been told his father was dead, and he had felt nothing. Maybe a part of him had known it wasn't true, but why would Susan lie to him? He placed all his trust in her, and he knew that he believed what she said. The man standing in front of him just couldn't be there.

"Johnny, I need to talk to you," Sue said calmly. She covered the distance between the two of them and led him away into the nearest room. Kayla had been reluctant to let him go, but she knew this was not an argument she should be involved in.

Franklin appeared very downhearted and disappointed by the reunion. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but he was pretty sure that wasn't it. Kayla turned and disappeared down the corridor she had come from, leaving Franklin with Reed.

Reed had no idea what to do. He could try and reinforce Sue's suggestion that Franklin leave, but what if once the siblings had finished yelling at each other they felt the need to talk to their father? Franklin would be long gone and it would be Reed's fault. But then again, what if he allowed Franklin to stay and the siblings _didn't _want to see their father again; Reed would be prolonging the amount of time they had to spend in his presence. Besides, there was something about that man that freaked Reed out.

Reed took a step toward Franklin to ask him to leave, but was interrupted by the arrival of Ben and Alicia. Part of Reed was relieved that he wouldn't be left alone with Franklin, but he also saw the strange reaction the man had when he saw Ben in all his rocky glory. They were all used to people's initial reactions to Ben being fear, but there was something else in Franklin's eyes.

"Egghead, what's going on?" The sound of Ben's gravelly voice made Franklin involuntarily flinch. The movement drew Ben's attention, "Who's this?"

Reed took a moment to compose himself. "This is Franklin Storm, Susan and Johnny's father."

"Oh," Ben murmured, "That explains the shouting."

Reed finally noticed the muffled sound of raised voices coming from the direction Sue had dragged Johnny. At least Johnny seemed to have regained his voice and gotten over the initial shock. It was Franklin now who seemed unable to speak in the presence of the Thing. Reed glanced nervously at Franklin now suddenly desperate to get away from him. "I have some work to do in my lab." He paused, and then spoke directly to Franklin "Make yourself at home?"

He hadn't meant to say it as a question, but Franklin just seemed to make Reed uncertain. He fled, trying to be casual but most likely failing. There was something seriously wrong with that man.

* * *

"You lied to me."

Johnny stated once Sue had shut the door behind them. She glanced guiltily at him before averting her eyes. She looked so tired and emotionally drained, but Johnny couldn't help adding "Again."

Sue remained silent, allowing Johnny a moment to get himself together. He looked at her accusingly. "Do you do anything _but_ lie to me?"

"I did it to protect you." She said quietly. She sat down on one of the sofas as if her legs would no longer hold her up anymore. Tears already threatened to fall as she gazed up at her brother, silently begging that he would understand. "You had already been through so much..."

"So telling me my father was dead was gonna help?" Johnny retorted.

"It was either that or live with the shame...did you really want to spend your childhood knowing your father was locked up for killing a man? Having to go to that cursed place to visit? Did you want to watch him being broken down by life in a cell?" Sue argued, her voice rising with every point. "It was better this way."

"It was better for me to find out the truth when he showed up out of the blue?"

"This wasn't the way you were meant to find out. I was going to tell you...but there was never a right time. You seemed so okay, I didn't want to bring you down with this." Sue hid her face in her hands, trying not to show the tears that fell freely down her cheeks.

Johnny knelt in front of Sue, taking her hands away from her face and holding them. He looked in her eyes and saw the pain in them. Usually he was so stubborn, he could have kept this argument going for days, but he hated seeing Sue like this, even after everything. "Why do you keep lying to me?"

A tear slipped down Sue's cheek and Johnny wiped it away. "I don't know."

"It's going to stop now, okay?" Johnny reasoned, "I don't think either of us can take much more."

Sue leant forward and wrapped her arms around her brother, relieved when he hugged her back. She had no idea what had changed his mind about her. She had expected more shouting, not this. She didn't even try to stop the tears anymore and she held onto Johnny as if he would disappear of she let go. "I'm so sorry Johnny...I just wanted to protect you."

"I'm sorry too," he whispered back. She felt him smile. "I think I may have overreacted a little."

Sue pulled back and looked at Johnny sadly, not quite getting what he was referring to. She thought he had had quite an adequate reaction to finding out his dad was alive actually; she most likely would have done the same. Was he forgiving her for more than this? "To what?"

"Everything." Johnny sighed and then sat down next to her. "It _was_ over a year ago now. I still can't believe what you did, and I still don't understand why, but I think I've punished you enough. You were right, it's about time we moved on. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Sue sighed, hugging him again. She was comforted by Johnny's words, but she knew he had wanted to say more. Maybe now wasn't the best time to press the issue. She was just glad to have her brother back.

But just when one thing in her life starts going right, there's always another part just waiting to go wrong. Suddenly every light bulb in the entire building shorted out, some exploding and showering the ground in glass. Panic filled Sue as she shared a fearful look with her brother. _"Leona"_

The siblings leapt to their feet and ran down the semi dark hallways of the Baxter Building. It was early evening so there was still some light shining through the windows. Sue ran ahead of Johnny and was the first to slam through the Nursery door.

It was empty. The baby cage stood open with Leona's blanket hanging slightly out. The intricate mobile that hung above it still jingled eerily. Susan fell to her knees, unable to handle anymore. She felt Johnny crouch next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find her."

_We'll find _him.

* * *

**Yay! Chapter Three is finally done! **

**I had a weird moment while writing this, my muse did a U-Turn and now pretty much my entire plot needs reworking XD It was strange how I suddenly found myself writing Johnny forgiving Susan...maybe my muse was bored and decided to give me some hard work to do!**

**Anywayz, I will attempt to update again soon! Please review!**


	4. Argumentative

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

I am a very bad person. I am also very sorry for being a bad person. Here is the next chapter to hopefully make up for my appallingly long hiatus.

Thanks to KazeRose for reviewing chapter 3, and major thanks to super ario for providing the extra kick up the backside I needed to continue this fic :D

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Four: Argumentative**

**The Baxter Building**

"REED!"

The super scientist stood frozen at the nursery door, his ever-active mind blank for the first time in his life. He was struck down by sheer, bloody horror. His wife's scream bought him back slightly. He glanced at her, tears streaming down her face that couldn't decide if it wanted to be white with terror or red with anger. Johnny was next to her, his arms around her shoulders. He heard the heavy footsteps of Ben thundering towards them. Reed's eyes were dragged back to the crib. The empty crib.

"She's gone! He took...She's gone! Reed!" Sue ripped herself from her brother than stood directly in front of Reed, her expression settling on anger. She managed to gather her thoughts enough to explain what she thought to have happened "My _father_," she spat the word as if it were poison, "stole my baby. He took her away from me! We have to find them, we have to hunt him down and rescue her, _now._"

"We will."

More faces filled the doorway behind him. Ben took one look at the empty crib and muttered an oath that should never be said in the presence of a nursery. He explained quietly for the sightless Alicia's benefit. Kayla managed to look past the crib, her gaze settling on Johnny who was still kneeled on the floor. There was something about his expression that made Kayla actually feel cold, a sensation she never felt in the presence of the Torch.

Reed turned to her, capturing her attention. "Can you find them?"

"They're already out of range," Kayla murmured, having already tried. She had sensed the lingering heat signature of Franklin Storm, along with the smaller Leona, heading in the direction of the now smashed window, the cold night then stealing their trail away. She pointed at the window, briefly wondering how he'd managed his escape, then explained "All I can tell you is that they went that way, but I'm sure figuring that out wasn't rocket science."

He nodded, his expression saying that he had expected that but had hoped he was wrong. Wariness entered his eyes; the look immediately noticed by his wife. Sue's voice was lined with anger that was not necessarily directed at him. "What?"

"I have a way of finding her..." Reed swallowed, and if it were possible to look both suspicious and hopeful at the same time, Sue just managed it. "You remember when we discussed the...erm...tracking device..."

"That I disagreed with." Sue finished. "I remember quite clearly, Reed. I told you that our daughter is not a criminal that needs to be kept track of; and that freedom and at least a degree normality is very important. I also said that if you dared install said tracking device on our daughter I would give you the silent treatment for a month."

"Well, err...I guess I deserve the silent treatment then," Reed's uncharacteristic uncertainty disarmed Sue and she settled for a disapproving glare. "Let's go to my lab."

Everyone present followed the silent couple to the lab, the worry, tension and urgency growing with every step. Kayla walked next to a silent Johnny, trying to figure out his expression. She was staring, but Johnny didn't notice and she didn't care. His eyes worried her, and even though she knew it was morally wrong, she was more concerned about him than the missing child. She would never voice that out loud for fear of Sue's wrath, but it was true regardless. By the time they reached the lab and Reed had begun typing at a console, she was still none the wiser as to what was wrong with Johnny.

"You ignored me," Sue murmured to Reed so that no one else could hear. He glanced up and met her gaze, reassured by her small smile. "Thank you."

Reed nodded, then jabbed a final button on the console. A hologram of the Earth appeared out of nowhere. Two lines zoomed across the longitude and latitude, a red flashing dot appearing where the lines crossed. Each time the console beeped the map would zoom in closer on the part of the hologram the red dot had settled on. Within thirty seconds, they had an address.

"They're still in New York," Sue whispered, her eyes lighting up with the first bit of good news since the fiasco started. She memorised the address, then spun, heading towards the door. Reed caught her wrist, halting her progress. "What?"

"Wait, we don't know enough," Reed replied, flinching at the promise of violence his wife's eyes gave him. "This is far too suspect. I don't think Franklin was working alone, he disappeared after jumping out the window of a skyscraper, meaning he must have an accomplice. If I'm right, we have a major unknown variable..."

"'_Variable_?'" Sue almost yelled. She ripped her arm from his grasp. The three bystanders took an involuntary step back, but Johnny gave no reaction, almost as if he had been expecting the venom in her voice. "This is our _daughter_, Reed. I am not going to wait around for you to meticulously gather data, analyse everything and determine what we already know when my baby is in danger!"

"I know she's in danger Sue!" Reed snapped. He felt Ben step towards him, but subtly waved him back. He noted and rectified his previous tone, taking on a more 'Reed-like' manner. "I know she's in danger Sue, and that's why I'm doing this. I don't want to run the risk of storming in blind and realising that while we're unprepared it's a fight we can't win." He tried to meet her eyes, but she kept them averted. "Give me 30 minutes. In thirty minutes we'll leave together and we'll get our daughter back. Please Sue."

Sue didn't answer. In silence she left the lab, not meeting anyone's eyes. Reed took that as consent and sat down at another computer, immediately tapping away. The group dispersed, knowing that at this point they were of no use. As Kayla reached the door she glanced back to see that Johnny hadn't moved. She took a step towards him, then stopped. She had no idea what to do. She watched as he jolted to life and found a seat in the lab. He was far enough from Reed to not be of annoyance, but close enough to be aware of any breakthroughs. Kayla took one last look at his worrying eyes, then left.

* * *

Sue fumed.

_How dare he? For once we actually know where the hostage is, and he stops me from going? Is he feeling obsolete or something? Does he realise that he is not needed, that there isn't a puzzle for him to solve, and so he's just made one up? That must be it! He's just being stubborn, refusing to admit that I don't need him this time. The Great Reed Richards is...is...dumb._

She flinched at the last part of her internal rant. Part of her knew she was being childish, knew that this was just Reed's way of handling things, but it went against every instinct she had. Waiting was bad. Waiting gave _him_ time to move, to take Leona further away. Acting fast was the only way to resolve this, a method that Reed would never use.

Sue came to a sudden stop in the middle of the corridor as if only just realising she had been moving. She blinked around, getting her bearings, and realised she had been heading towards the hangar. A smile that didn't quite suit her split her features. _We need to act fast. Reed _can't_ do that. That doesn't mean that we can't._

Determined, Sue took two more steps forward before being stopped again.

"Sue?" A voice called from behind. She wanted to ignore it and keep going, but for some reason she paused and half turned so that she could see her pursuer. Kayla stood not far behind her, uncertainty lining her face. "Where are you going?"

"I can't wait any longer. I'm going to rescue my daughter now."

"But Reed said to..."

"I don't care what Reed said. He's wrong. Every minute that passes is another minute where Franklin could...could..." Sue couldn't bring herself to say it.

"I understand..."

"You _understand_? Oh, so you've had your daughter kidnapped by your father, have you?" Sue retorted, knowing she was being unfair. Kayla was silenced, the shadow that clouded her eyes going unnoticed by Sue. "I'm going, so don't try to stop me."

"You're not going alone." Kayla stated, all uncertainty gone from her demeanour.

"I'm not waiting..."

"I'm not telling you to." Kayla covered the distance between them, coming to stand next to a slightly taken aback Sue. A silent agreement passed between them, then Kayla followed Sue to the hangar.

* * *

**Somewhere in New York**

"Who's a little cutey wutey, hey? Who's a little cutey wutey? You are, that's right!" Franklin Storm cooed as he tickled the baby under her chin. Little Leona gurgled happily, lapping up the attention. The building they were in was a large empty warehouse, the wind whistling through rusty holes and mice squeaking somewhere close by. Franklin sat almost exactly in the centre on a box, the baby cradled in his arms.

Suddenly the loading doors opened, the twilight shrouding the newcomer in shadow. Franklin recognised him immediately. Who else would wear a hooded cape and need such a dramatic entrance? Doom sauntered in, his assistant Leonard scampering in behind him. Franklin decided to ignore them, far more interested in the little bundle in his arms.

"Excellent work Dr. Storm!" Doom congratulated, his voice tinny behind the mask. The laugh that followed was anything but good-natured. "To walk right in to the Baxter Building and steal the prized child...amazing. The exit almost ruined it though. Did you forget you were in a skyscraper?"

Franklin glared at the metal man.

"I anticipated the jump though, that doombot had perfect timing, wouldn't you say?" The patronising tone smiled through the mask. Doom stood before Franklin, towering over him. Franklin tried to continue glaring at him, but was struck with fear. He averted his eyes, instead looking at the now silent baby. "You're job here is done, Dr. Storm. Enjoy your freedom."

Doom reached down to pluck the baby from Franklin's grasp, but he held her tighter and darted to his feet. "Wait...what are you..."

"I can't let you keep her Dr. Storm, my plan is nowhere near complete." Doom took another step forwards, reaching for the baby again.

"No! You can't have her!"

"Dr. Storm!" Doom's shout reverberated around the warehouse, promptly causing Leona to scream. The moment she opened her mouth, the lights in the warehouse shorted, showering them in glass. Even Doom was surprised, though his reaction was swallowed by the darkness. Nearby, Leonard switched on a torch and beamed it in their direction.

"N-n-no...she c-can't be..." Franklin stared down at the baby in horror. A tiny smile had replaced her scream, almost smug at the small amount of destruction she had caused.

"Oh yes, Dr. Storm. Little Leona here is a freak too," Doom goaded.

Fear etched itself onto Franklin's face. "No! Take it!" In his hurry to separate himself from the little monster he practically through the baby at Doom and then staggered back. "Keep it away from me! Take it away!"

Doom held the baby, victory lighting his eyes as he smiled at her.

"With pleasure."

* * *

**Finally, only half a year later, I have updated this fic. I promise to not take this long to update the next chapter!**

**Please review :D**


	5. Dead End

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to auper ario and ebuchala for reviewing!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Five: Dead End**

**The Baxter Building**

The only sound in the lab was the crazily fast tapping of the computer keys. Reed was entirely focused on his task, refusing to let his mind wander to the possibilities of his daughter's situation. He conducted a thorough search of Franklin Storm's recent activities, only to discover that there wasn't any. Ever since his escape several years prior, Storm had been off the grid. The escape was interesting though, proving that Storm lied about his current situation. Reed briefly wondered if Sue had known about it, but then concluded that she can't have done or she would have noticed the gap in his story. The element that was grating Reed the most however, was the conundrum of why now? If Storm had been out of prison for years, why only make his presence known now? The Fantastic Four weren't exactly difficult to find, surely he could have come earlier. But then again, if his aim was Leona, then he couldn't have come much sooner for Leona hadn't existed. Then why was his target Leona? None of the situation made sense, and it set Reed on edge. His greatest fear had been realised, but nowhere near how he had predicted it.

"Reed, your 30 minutes is up."

The scientist jumped. He swivelled to see Johnny sitting nearby, his expression blank. Reed wondered how long he had been there, and tried to remember if he had seen him leave. Then he realised what Johnny had said. Thirty minutes is such a short period of time, he should have asked for an hour. But then again, he had nothing left to look for, as there was nothing left to find. He hadn't figured it out. The puzzle was still unsolved. Reed sighed heavily, and then stood. He was surprised when Johnny didn't move, having expected the hothead to pressure him into taking action. "Are you alright?"

Johnny blinked, and then looked at Reed confused. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

It was Reed's turn to look confused, the expression not suiting him. He shook his head, clearing it. Johnny's uncharacteristic behaviour, though troubling, was not the immediate problem. He glanced around the lab, receiving yet another shock. He had expected Sue to be there, pestering him to hurry, or at least to remind him that his time was up. "Where's Sue?"

"Probably waiting impatiently next to the Fantasticar," Johnny shrugged. He dragged himself almost painfully to his feet. "Are we going?"

"Yes, we are." Reed followed Johnny out of the lab, immediately joined by Ben and Alicia who were standing just outside the door. They walked in a silence that Johnny usually would've filled with wisecracks, prompting Ben to give him a concerned look. With Johnny leading they entered the hangar.

"Huh. Didn't see that one coming." Johnny deadpanned.

Reed came up beside him, and stared at the empty space where the fantasticar should be. Reed closed his eyes and sighed. Like Johnny said, he should've known that this would happen. When Sue had left without actually agreeing with him, he should've known. Maybe he had known, but had hoped she would have listened to him. When he opened his eyes again Johnny was standing a couple of feet in front of him.

"You got a tracking device on Sue too?" he asked in the same tone as before.

Before Reed could answer he was disrupted by a beep from his PDA. He read the message and then ran back in the direction of the lab without saying a word.

**Somewhere in New York**

The fantasticar settled to a less than smooth stop as an inexperienced Sue brought it in to land. Once they were out, Sue could see that Kayla was a little pale from the flight, but both of them decided not to mention it. The fantasticar had been in stealth mode, but Sue had landed a distance away to be on the safe side. They ran in a half crouch towards the building so they wouldn't be seen.

From the outside, the warehouse looked just as ordinary and inconspicuous as any other, which is probably why most bad guys seemed to love the 'abandoned warehouse' setting. There were a few men outside hovering; their gaunt expressions and slow shuffles making it look like they shared one brain cell between them. Once within range, Sue dispatched them without a second glance.

With the entrance clear, the two women darted up to the warehouse. With minimal effort, Sue created a force field between the two doors and pushed outwards so that the doors slid back on their rails. She didn't even pause for breath before storming in, leaving Kayla to follow, feeling more than a little useless.

Inside was empty. Or that was Kayla's first impression. All she saw was a huge blank space filled with nothing but air. But then she saw the man sitting on a box in the centre, his presence tiny in the cavernous space. Sue stormed forward "Where the hell is my daughter?"

The man looked up, petrified. Franklin Storm looked even more worse for wear than he had earlier, his face now red from tears. Why he had been crying was irrelevant to Sue, all that mattered was her daughter. Upon seeing his own daughter, Franklin darted to his feet with a grace that shouldn't be seen in a man his age. He scooted round so that he now stood behind the box. He held out his hands in a warding gesture "Stay away! Stay away freak!"

Sue took another step forward, anger etched onto her face, fully prepared to do whatever was necessary to make him talk. But then Kayla stepped in front of her, halting her progress. Kayla gave her a look that sternly said to back down, and amazingly, Sue obeyed.

"Mr. Storm?" Kayla asked, covering the distance between them so that she now stood on the other side of the box. Though wary, Franklin made no attempt to run away.

"D-Dr. Storm," Franklin corrected.

"You're a doctor?" Kayla asked, slightly surprised. It was then that she realised how little she knew about Johnny, but that was an issue for another time. A professional smile lit up her face. "Good, I am too. I'm Dr. Kayla Maiden."

There was something about the title of 'Doctor'; 90% of the time it seemed to instil trust on people. Franklin Storm was one of the 90%. He visibly relaxed in Kayla's presence, the wariness from his face melting before her. On the other hand, Kayla could sense Sue shuffling impatiently behind her. Applying her best bedside manner, Kayla asked "Can you tell me what happened?"

Franklin nodded; eager to please. It was sad to see what was once a good doctor reduced to this. "I was told that I had a granddaughter, and I had to go see her, you see. And so I did." Franklin paused, so Kayla nodded understandingly. "New York is very different now you know. Lots more people, it was hard to find my granddaughter. That was when I saw the freaks on the television. I couldn't believe it, you know?"

Sue flinched behind her, but made no move to act on the impulse to punch the man in front of her. Kayla gave another nod, allowing Franklin to believe he had found another freak-hater, despite her own powers. Franklin leapt on the opportunity to voice his opinion, "Can you believe that they actually think these things are heroes? I don't know what they are, but they aint no heroes, you know?"

"Is this around the time you got to the Baxter Building?" Kayla prompted, hoping to steer Franklin back. She knew that Sue wouldn't remain restrained for long.

"I had to now, now that I knew. I was only gonna go visit, but then I saw that she was trapped in that place with the freaks. I was rescuing her I was," Franklin adamantly replied. Another nod reassured him that Kayla understood. "So that's what I did. I found where she was, and I picked her up. I thought it was weird that the lights went out, and it scared me, so I jumped out the window. I had forgotten how high up we were..." Franklin gave a sheepish grin that better suited a child.

"So what happened? How did you make it?" Kayla injected a little awe into her voice, disarming any qualms he may have had over revealing his escape.

"There was a flying robot outside."

Kayla blinked, that not being the answer she had expected. She had to cover her surprise quickly so that Franklin didn't pick up on her disbelief and shut down. It was exactly like trying to coax a small child to tell her what happened, and from experience she knew that disbelief was a sure fire way to lose an informant. With her smile back in place she continued, "So, what happened next?"

"It brought me back here. It was then just me and my granddaughter, the robot thingy left us," he waved his hand in what Kayla assumed was the direction where the robot went. "Then he showed up."

Kayla waited a moment, then asked, "He?"

"The Metal Man." Both Kayla and Sue froze, but Franklin didn't notice. "He showed up to take my granddaughter away, but then the lights went out again. This time I knew it was...my granddaughter. My granddaughter, my own flesh and blood, is a damned freak as well! When he took her I was glad to be rid of her!"

"Goddamn you!" Sue screamed as she ran forward and landed a right hook that sent Franklin flying. Kayla darted forward to intercept, but was too late. Fear and surprise fought for control over Franklin's expression as he was lifted into the air with an invisible force field. Fear won as he was sent soaring across the room, smashing into to the far wall. "How dare you?"

"Sue!" Kayla yelled, trying to get her attention, but Sue was too focused on her target. As she marched across the room she lifted Franklin back into the air and pinned him against the dented wall. Kayla followed trying to talk Sue down.

"You gave _my daughter_ to that _bastard_?" Sue raged, increasing the pressure of the force field so that Franklin could no longer breathe. The hold was so tight he couldn't even struggle in his panic. He was dying, and Sue didn't care.

Kayla grabbed Sue's outstretched arm in an attempt to stop her. All she did was make herself a target. Sue's eyes flashed at her, and before Kayla could react she was hit hard. She blacked out for a moment, and when she came too she found herself on the other side of the warehouse. Kayla was pleased to see she had succeeded in getting Sue to release Franklin, but she wasn't sure the pain she now felt really made up for it.

"Sue?" Kayla murmured, her voice managing to carry across the empty space. Sue was panting, trying to calm herself down as she saw what she had done. Her father lay unconscious nearby, and her friend was hurt. Kayla managed to drag herself to her feet, trying not to think how many bruises she'd have in the morning. "I think it's time to call for back up."

Sue nodded, meeting up with Kayla, and then walking out together.

* * *

**The Baxter Building**

Kayla's face filled the screen in the lab as she reported all that they had found out. She left out the Sue going a little bit crazy part and focused entirely on Franklin's story. The occupants in the lab had a similar reaction to what Kayla and Sue had to hearing the 'Metal Man' part.

"Doom," Reed muttered, dread coursing through him.

"_Gotta be_," Kayla agreed, and then followed with a humourless laugh. "_I mean, how many Metal Men do we know?_"

Reed nodded, then sighed. "Right, I want the pair of you back here now. I'm gonna retrace Leona and then we're _all_ going to go to the new location."

"_Alrighty then,_" Kayla replied, then glanced over her shoulder check on Sue. "_We're on- shit._"

"What is it?" Reed asked, steeping towards the screen as if it would help him see better. He heard Sue shout in the background, then Kayla left the camera frame. He heard the mechanical whir and thump that he recognised as doombots. As if to confirm this, a dismembered doombot head flew into frame and smashed the camera, sending the screen into static.

* * *

**Teehee, I actually updated :P**

**Please Review!**


	6. Doomed

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to super ario and ebuchala for reviewing!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Six: Doomed**

**The Warehouse, Somewhere in New York**

"I mean, how many Metal Men do we know?" Kayla deadpanned. Reed distractedly agreed, then gave their orders. They were to return and regroup; simple enough. "Alrighty then, we're on- shit."

A glance over her shoulder revealed a horde of doombots. Kayla briefly wondered how they had managed to sneak up on them, considering the sheer volume of noise their mechanical parts made, but then realised the bigger problem. They were greatly outnumbered; one superhero + an inexperienced side-kick vs. at least five dozen doombots. Sue already had a force field surrounding them, which prompted the bots to open fire.

"Damnnit!" Sue yelled, angry at the robots for stopping her hunt for Doom and her child. Kayla jumped from the cockpit of the fantasticar and landed next to her, vaguely aware that Reed had said something over the console. Sue let out a frustrated growl and flung her arm out, her shield responding. The shield shrunk to a thin whip like shape and snapped out at the doombots. It caught one of them at a vital neck joint, sending the head flying.

Sue had immediately switched from defensive to offensive, which in Kayla's opinion probably wasn't the best tactic. She flung out shield after shield, sometimes dismembering bots, but mostly just throwing them away. The ones she threw always managed to get straight back up; but Sue appeared unfazed by this. For every two she pushed back three would surge forwards, forcing Kayla into action.

Her first successful attack had been purely fuelled by instinct and fear. A doombot that was only 3 feet away from her had swung its gun into her face, the trigger already half pulled. In an instant the cold had manifested in her right hand, compelling her to reach out. At a single touch the doombots weapon had been rendered useless as ice snaked up its arm. In seconds the ice reached its head, the circuits shorting with a fizzle of sparks. Kayla almost laughed, despite the inappropriateness of the situation.

While Kayla was distracted by her success, another doombot leapt forward to replace the ice sculpture. Before she had even noticed its presence, Sue sliced it diagonally between the shoulder blades, the two halves then falling in either direction. Kayla had a moment to gape before returning to the fight.

Her fighting style consisted almost entirely of ducking, dodging, and then darting forward to land a frozen touch. A detached part of her mind was keeping count, remembering how many she destroyed so that she could brag to Johnny later. Considering that this was her first fight, Kayla was stunned by the randomness of the thoughts than ran through her mind. After what she guessed was about ten minutes, she counted that she had subdued eleven doombots. Nowhere near enough.

She had had no idea how tiring her ability was. She was struggling to maintain the cold touch in her hands, and her blurring vision was slowing down her reactions. She managed to land another frozen touch, but the ice only covered a small portion of the doombots arm. It ignored it, instead swinging the arm round, striking her forehead. Her vision blacked out completely, and by the time she could see again she had already hit the floor.

Sue was also tiring, her method of attack using up far more energy than usual. She managed to run on anger for a little while longer before succumbing to the strain.

With only twenty or so doombots remaining, the two women lost the fight.

* * *

**The Baxter Building**

"What do you wanna do, Reed?" Ben asked, his own worry creeping into his gruff voice. Alicia leaned in closer to him, offering comfort. Reed made no answer, instead staring at the static as if he could see what was happening. "Reed?"

Reed gave his head a little shake, kicking his brain into gear. He turned round, scenarios and plans running through his mind in an instant, quickly selecting the best one. "Leona must have been moved as Doom took her, so I'll retrace her signal. Ben, call back the fantasticar; we'll be leaving as soon as I have a location."

He turned again, this time heading to the console that he had used earlier. After typing a few commands, the holographic map appeared again, the red light beeping as it quickly relocated Leona. Ben did as he was told, heading towards another computer, reinforced so that he couldn't break the keys. A beep confirmed that the fantasticar was returning.

Alicia waited for a few moments, knowing the large gap in the plan, but expecting Johnny to be the one to point it out. When Johnny gave no reaction, Alicia spoke up. "What about Sue and Kayla? They may be injured, or trapped at that warehouse. Shouldn't someone go and check on them?"

Reed nodded, not taking his eyes off the map of New York. A final beep sounded, the address appearing on the screen. Then it disappeared.

"Oh God no," Reed murmured. He then swallowed, trying to find an alternative to the conclusion his brain gave him. The worse could not have happened. "Her powers must have shorted it out," he said, as much to convince himself as everyone else. "Ben, we're going, now."

Ben bobbed his head in consent, but caught Alicia's concerned look before he left. Reed's one-track mind was unusual, but understandable given that his daughter was in danger. Not acting fast last time had resulted in Leona already being moved into an even worse situation. Once Reed had left the lab he turned back, addressing Johnny, "Go to the warehouse and check on Suzie and Kayla. If they're not there, follow us to the new location."

"Okay," Johnny agreed. Ben gave another nod, then turned and left the lab. Johnny headed for the stairs that led to the roof, but was stopped by Alicia.

She placed a hand on his arm and set her unseeing eyes on his. "Are you okay, Johnny?"

Johnny gave her a smile, more out of habit than necessity, "I'm always okay."

She paused, a sad look on her face as she tried to figure him out. Then she dropped her hand, letting him continue on. She listened to his shoes tapping on the metal stairs, waiting for the door to slam closed confirming he was gone, before she left the lab.

On the roof, Johnny realised he was alone. Suddenly all the events of the day made their presence known. It was hard to believe that only a few hours ago he had been happy, or at least, blissfully unaware. It had been a rollercoaster for him; the shock and betrayal of finding out his father was alive, then the relief of finally settling things with Sue. Then the second betrayal from the man he hardly knew, stealing away his niece. He had shut down, trying to protect himself from the buried emotions his father unearthed. He hadn't even managed his usual coping mechanism of covering it with a smile. As he looked at the night, he wished for the day to be over; or even better, for the day to not have happened at all.

He stood on the edge of the roof, and let himself drop. He waited a little longer than usual to flame on; almost wishing he hadn't at all.

* * *

**Somewhere in New York**

Doom smiled down at the small child in his arms. He was quite glad that the mask was hiding his expression, if any of his subordinates learnt of such a human reaction he could have an uprising on his hands. Not that anyone would dare.

He distracted himself from the child by looking up at the monitor in front of him. His set up was nowhere near as grand as usual; his signature wall of monitors replaced with a single one. It was a normal computer monitor placed on top of an average desk, in a poorly decorated office. He did however, still have a throne. He was a God, and a God is nothing without a throne to represent his superiority.

The picture on the screen was from one of the doombots cameras. He had already watched the footage of Sue getting revenge on her father in the warehouse; it was truly heart-warming. Now he watched her angrily rip her way through the doombots in a way he hadn't seen before. Without warning, Doom's viewing pleasure was disrupted by ice spreading across the screen. The woman's face briefly appeared before the camera cut out. Doom let out a growl that made Leona squirm in his arms.

He glanced down at her, adjusting his grip to account for her new position. He watched her for a few moments before a strange sensation drew his attention to her ankle. He could feel an electric current spike, catching his curiosity. He placed a hand over her ankle, finding the tiny device painlessly hidden under a layer of skin. Without causing any harm to the baby he removed the device, momentarily admiring the hardware. He then placed it in a device connected to the computer, typing a few commands.

Miffed from the lack of attention, Leona began to cry. Still ignored by her captor, she let out a scream, resulting in the room being plunged into darkness. Doom was taken aback by the amount of damage she had caused, having even shorted the computer and the device.

Leona quieted down as his attention returned, happily gurgling as he tickled her under her chin. He called in Leonard, ordering him to fix the equipment, and then swivelled in the chair so his back was to the room.

* * *

**The Warehouse, Somewhere in New York**

For a short while, Kayla was able to open her eyes. She quickly found the slightest of movements to be a very bad thing, and so remained still. She could just make out Sue's unconscious form nearby, and could also hear the mechanical whir of the doombot guards.

Her head hurt, blood trickling down the side of her face. She could feel the bruises of Sue's earlier attack, and exhaustion thrummed through every muscle. She let her eyes fall closed, sending out her sensing ability. Other than her and Sue, she could sense other humans nearby, probably in one of the other warehouses. She could only make out the doombots as they were slightly cooler than the surroundings. She focused a little harder, reaching out further. That's when she felt the most comforting thing ever.

She recognised Johnny's flames easily, but didn't have the necessary brain power to figure out far away he was. All that mattered was that he was on his way.

She let herself fall back into unconsciousness, knowing that her knight in flaming armour was coming.

* * *

**Three daily updates in a row...surely this can't last? :P**

**Let me know what you think :D**


	7. Misdirection

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to memvvd and KDean9 for reviewing! And to super ario and ebuchala, I may have lied when I said I'd update on Sunday :P Whoops Thanks!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Misdirection**

**The Warehouse, Somewhere in New York**

Johnny flamed off and dropped gently to the ground. He paused, looking around for signs of an ambush. All he could see were some abandoned unconscious goons piled outside the warehouse. He cautiously moved toward the doors, not having the patience to scout for another entrance. He had considered blasting his way through the roof, but the idea just didn't appeal to him like it usually did. He opened the door just wide enough to fit himself through, only able to take a quick peek inside as the noise had already given him away.

With that glance he counted at least 15 doombots and both Sue and Kayla lying unconscious nearby under armed guard. The bot closest to him spun round, gun raised. Johnny dived and rolled to the ground, coming back up in a crouch, as the bot open fired. He jumped to his feet and ran, the bullets blasting his trail in the warehouse walls. He flamed on and took to the air, lashing out a stream of fire that took out the offending bot with a groan of melting metal.

That was when the other doombots decided to join in. Ten of the bots aimed at him, surrounding him from all sides. He waited until he heard the click of many triggers being pulled simultaneously, then flamed off, dropping rapidly and painfully to the ground. The bullets soared overhead, hitting nothing but the air where Johnny had been. It took a moment for the bots to correct their aim, which was plenty of time for Johnny to turn the tables. With the accuracy of a sharp shooter he threw a series of fireballs at top speed, each one finding their mark.

He jumped back into the air, using the position to update his bot-count. He was down to five now, most of them dangerously close to Sue and Kayla, the other two behind him. In a fluke move that he was pretty sure he'd never be able to repeat, he flamed off, flinging three fireballs ahead of him, then flipping over so that he could see behind and throwing two more. He just managed to bring his feet back under him in time to land on the floor. All five doombots burst into flame at the same time, as of there had been a delay while they watched the aerial assault.

Johnny allowed himself a smile before double checking he hadn't been hit, it wouldn't have been the first time adrenaline had prevented him from realising he had been hurt. Other than a sharp pain in his legs from his two heavy landings and the first signs of tiredness, he was fine. He turned his attention back to the two sleeping woman, just as Sue groaned back to life.

"Sue!" he called as he closed the gap between them. She held her hand to her head and kept her eyes closed, but she didn't appear to be bleeding, so Johnny assumed it had been exhaustion that got her. He came to a crouch beside her, helping her sit up. She blinked at him, confused for a moment before she remembered the events of the day. She tried to get up, but Johnny held her down. "Just wait for a moment Sue."

"I can't!" she cried. "She's with Doom, Johnny, I have to go."

"Have to go where?" Johnny asked, unused to being the responsible one. "Do you even know where she is?"

"Reed will know," Sue decided, pushing herself to her feet with Johnny following, holding her arm to provide both support and restraint. Then she stopped a moment, looking around the warehouse, then up at Johnny as she realised what had happened. "You're here alone...Reed already knows! He and Ben are already on their way, I have to go! Tell me where she is!"

Johnny studied her for a minute, and then recited the address. Sue nodded then turned to leave. Johnny still had her arm, pausing her momentarily. He caught her eyes, "Be careful."

Sue looked surprised then relaxed into the first smile in ages. "That's my line."

He couldn't quite return her smile, though he wanted to. He nodded instead, releasing her arm and watching her go. She almost ran to the door, sidestepped through the gap, then created a force field below her feet and took to the air. Johnny then turned his attention to the other unconscious form.

He crouched down next to Kayla, brushing a strand of hair from her face. He felt the blood before he saw it, the warehouse being quite dark this late at night, the lights low to prevent suspicion. He gently angled her into a better position that allowed him to see the wound. As far as he could tell he wasn't that deep, but head wounds bleed heavily, explaining the river down her cheek. The cut was just beneath her hairline, about two inches across, a bruise already forming round it. He looked around for something cold to use, his eyes settling on the earlier pile of defeated doombots that had been brought inside. The guns were still frozen from Kayla's attacks.

Johnny got up, broke of a piece, and returned, surprised that his higher body temperature wasn't melting it. Pulling Kayla onto his lap he pressed the frozen item to the wound to bring down the swelling. The action briefly brought Kayla around. She half opened her eyes and looked up at him. "J-John-ny?"

"Heya," he murmured, a legitimate smile on his face. She blinked then returned it. "I'm definitely taking you dancing now."

"I-I'm pr-pretty sure th-there wasn't an alter-n-native," Kayla stuttered, struggling to stay conscious. She felt his arm around her, finding comfort in the only warmth she could feel now. She let her eyes drift closed feeling completely safe. _Guess I can be the damsel for a little longer._

Johnny felt good for the first time since his father had reappeared in his life. He had his sister back, something he believed he didn't want in the interest of self preservation, but was truly a relief. Once this was over they would be another step closer to the way they were. And then there was Kayla. There was something about her that made him believe, if only for a moment, that nothing else mattered.

He knew he was meant to follow Sue and help out with his niece's rescue, but he couldn't leave Kayla, and besides deep down he knew there was something wrong with the situation. Why would Doom leave both Sue and Kayla here, alive, under a pathetic doombot guard? Maybe it was to split them up so that he had less to deal with at the other location. But then again, Doom was too arrogant for that. He would be certain that he could take out all four of them, so why?

Johnny sighed, closing his eyes, frustrated that he couldn't figure it out. He shifted slightly, and then opened his eyes again; catching something he had completely missed earlier. On the opposite side of the warehouse, crumpled beneath a sizable dent in the wall, lay a person. He carefully moved out from under Kayla, laying her on the ground, and then climbed to his feet. Cautiously, Johnny approached out cold person.

About halfway across the warehouse, Johnny could tell who it was. The rumpled clothes were the same as he was wearing at the Baxter Building, and the greying blonde hair was unmistakable. He was disappointed to see he was breathing.

That thought scared Johnny more than his sister trying to murder him.

Johnny stood frozen to the spot, everything he had tried to forget suddenly filling his mind. There was no order to it. He could hear Sue telling him his father was dead, and felt nothing. He could see his father's tear streaked face as he told them what had happened to their mother, unable to release the emotions inside of him. The sound of the gun. The blood on the man's shirt. He could feel the long forgotten bruises from his father coming home after a nights gambling, drunk and violent. Then back to Sue

"_He's dead."_

* * *

**Chamberlain House, New York**

The building was an office complex, full of conference rooms that were let out to other businesses. It was ultra-modern, everything either white or chrome, all shiny. The whole place had been rented by an anonymous firm, making it deserted of its usual employees who had been given paid time off. Instead the place was occupied by an army of doombots, at least fifty of which were intent on killing Reed and Ben.

The bots had them surrounded, firing round after round at their targets. However, they were unlucky in that their targets were the two near-impervious members of the fantastic four, the bullets bouncing off Reed's elastic form and ricocheting off of Ben's rocky skin. Though greatly outnumbered, the two retaliated, gradually reducing their numbers.

After about half an hour, the pair was starting to tire, though neither would ever admit it. Somewhere in that building was the baby Leona; and they would find her no matter how many bots Doom through at them. Despite their resolve, they were glad to see Sue as she soared through a broken window on her force field.

"Reed! Where is she?" Sue yelled above the cacophony, a hint of desperation in her voice. She easily took out four bots with a flick of her wrist, sending them tumbling down a staircase.

"The tracker says she's somewhere in here!" Reed replied, decidedly leaving out the part where the tracker was then deactivated. He crushed about six bots with his extended midsection, part of him knowing he'd have a major bruise in the morning.

There were only ten remaining, and they were the reinforcements that hadn't originally attacked. Ben smashed his way through, reducing them to scrap metal. It had taken less than forty-five minutes, but it had felt like an age. Ben hid his exhaustion better than Sue and Reed who were both panting and pale. Sue still hadn't quite recovered from her earlier doombot run in, and the effects were starting to show.

"Let's find her," she ordered, determination etched on her face. Both Reed and Ben nodded, and then the three split up. Each one took a floor each, running down the corridors and slamming open doors.

Frustration, anger and above all fear, filled Sue with dread. It built up with every door she opened to find the room empty. By the time she had covered her floor, tears were streaming uncontrollably down her face_. She isn't there! Where is she? Leona!_

She rejoined with her husband and Ben at the main staircase, their faces telling her that they had had just as much luck as she had. There was only one place left to look. Sue took the lead as she ran up the final set of stairs that led to the main office. What struck her first was how different the office was to the rest of the building. The floor to ceiling windows on the back wall had been covered with heavy curtains, an ornate rug had been laid on the floor, a bookshelf of first editions lined another wall, and a large oak desk stood proudly in the centre.

Behind the desk was Doom's throne. It was empty.

The room was lit by the single computer monitor that had been around to face the door. On it was a recording of Doom, his metallic laugh echoing menacingly on a permanent loop.

"Oh God no."

* * *

**The Warehouse**

Doom couldn't restrain his laugh as he watched Sue on his monitor. He could see her fear and hatred and it made him positively jovial. All the effort they had put into depleting the doombots and finding their child, and it was all for nought. Doom had never been there, and neither had Leona.

His base of operations was the small office attached to the back of the warehouse. He had always intended for the Fantastic Four to go to Chamberlain House and then overwhelm them with doombots while he made good his escape after killing Leona, however he had adapted. The second he had laid eyes on Leona, he had decided he didn't want to kill her, but to mould her in his image. He had always wanted a sidekick. The women's appearance at the real lair had been a surprise, but was easily rectified with a handful of doombots. The tracking device had been a blessing in disguise, leading them on a wild goose chase.

With a tap of the keyboard he changed the image on the screen, bringing up the footage from within the warehouse. Another fortunate side effect of his altered plan was standing frozen in the middle of the screen. Doom had had no idea how much using Franklin Storm would affect the young hothead, giving him the perfect opportunity to exact the revenge he had promised.

Doom stood from his throne, transcending from the office to the warehouse.

* * *

Johnny felt the numbness seep throughout him, protecting him from the painful memories. He blocked them out, pushing them away so they couldn't hurt him anymore. He could look at his father and feel nothing, and not be at all bothered by the lack of emotion. The sound of a door opening made him turn.

Doom stood there, shrouded in the shadows of the dark warehouse, but unmistakable nonetheless. Johnny knew he should feel the fear and anger that the metal man always instilled on him, but he couldn't remember the events that led to those feelings. He met the gaze of his arch enemy and felt absolutely nothing.

"Of all of the Fantastic Four, I'm glad it was you that was sent." Doom greeted, his malicious intent evident in his voice. Johnny didn't even flinch, instead standing deathly still before him. Doom took this as fear and smiled behind his mask. "I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you."

The bolt of lightning came too fast for Johnny to dodge, so he didn't even try. It struck him hard in the shoulder, sending him spinning across the space. He skidded to the stop on the floor. As he climbed back to his feet, he realised he couldn't move his right arm, even though he couldn't feel any pain. To counteract it he ignited his left hand and sent flames roaring at him. Johnny's speed didn't match Doom's as the metal man sidestepped out of range of the flames, only his cape briefly catching alight.

Doom noted that Johnny's aim was little off from using the hand he didn't favour, and then threw another long range attack. This time Johnny managed to avoid the attack, flaming on to gain height, and then retaliating by propelling himself at Doom. His feet landed squarely on Doom's chest, pushing him to the floor.

The fight was now close combat. Johnny was back on his feet first, ramming his shoe where Doom's ribs should be. He hit metal, his attack having no effect at all. Doom recovered, throwing his metal fist into Johnny's gut. As Johnny went down, Doom got up, charging his hand as he went to throw another punch. Johnny countered by flaming on his hand and catching the metal fist. The electricity was slowed by flames, but the attack wasn't completely nullified. Johnny felt blood run down his arm as his hand was sliced my Doom's metal gauntlet, and felt the pain.

Johnny was more surprised than hurt by the wound; feeling that emotion making him even more shocked. The numbness was beginning to fade. Still holding Doom's fist he swung out his leg, hooking the back of Doom's knee and sending him sprawling. His foot hurt from the attack, but it was worth it for the satisfaction of seeing Doom down.

With Doom down for a moment, Johnny backed up a few paces. With the numbness gone, he could feel his injuries thrum with pain. His shoulder ached, sending spikes of agony down his right arm. His left hand bled freely with fresh cuts across his palm and a bruise was already forming on both his stomach and his leg.

There was something positive about being about being able to feel though. The strongest emotion he had flushed through him: anger. It burned hot under his skin, and before he could even think 'flame on' his body was alight. Before Doom could fully return to his feet, Johnny pummelled him with flame after flame, delighted when he saw the first signs of Doom's mask melting.

"You don't want to do that Mr. Storm."

Johnny paused in his assault as his attention was drawn by the presence of Leonard. The small, sneaky looking man stood in the doorway that Doom had used, a bundle in one arm, and a knife in the other. Dread took over as Johnny realised that the bundle was his niece, and Leonard was threatening to kill her. His flames flickered out of existence. "Don't."

Leonard just stood there, all his usual nervousness gone from his posture. Doom returned to his feet, his mask melted into a frown but a vindictive smile behind it. Johnny couldn't move, and it had nothing to with his defence mechanism; he simply had no choice.

"If you move I will not hesitate to kill this child."

* * *

**Dun dun duh! :P**

**I made it longer and very Johnny centric to make up for the late update, hope it makes up for it!**

**Please Review!**


	8. Ultimatum

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to super ario and ebuchala, memvvd and Sparkiebunny for reviewing!

Updating has been an issue due to my internet being stupid, so sorry for the delay!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Ultimatum **

**The Warehouse, Somewhere in New York**

Consciousness is a difficult thing to achieve with a blow to the head screwing up your vision and some seriously crushed ribs preventing you from breathing properly. But something made Franklin Storm wake up. Maybe it was the first fatherly instinct he had had in over twenty years, or more likely, his survival impulse had woken him up, warning him that staying in the middle of a battle wasn't the best idea he had ever had.

Through half open eyes he scanned the warehouse. He could blearily make out a human fireball angrily pummelling the metal man, a vague connection in the back of his mind reminding him that the fireball was his son. Franklin was surprised when he didn't feel the fear that had driven him to the acts he had committed, leading to this moment. With a little more effort he could see movement nearby. The slight figure instantly recognisable as the metal man's assistant stood in a doorway to his right. In one hand he held a bundle, and in the other a knife.

"You don't want to do that Mr. Storm."

"Don't," his son warned as he returned to normal. Franklin looked at his son properly for the first time with something akin to pride at how strong he had become. He actually felt worried when he saw blood dripping from his son's hand. After discovering his children were freaks, part of Franklin had known that they weren't really, but fear of the unknown had made him act without engaging the entirety of his brain cells, and given the tenderness of his mental state, it was understandable, but unforgivable.

"If you move, I will not hesitate to kill this child."

Franklin went cold. It was his fault. Everything was his fault. If he'd only realised sooner that his children were nothing to fear, if only he could have overcome his own prejudices, if only he hadn't been broken out of prison all those years ago. He had handed over his granddaughter to a metal maniac and his slime ball assistant, sealing her fate.

"Let her go," Johnny demanded, poorly concealed panic evident in his voice. Franklin felt his sons fear like a punch to the gut, his own guilt growing with every passing moment.

"Or you'll what?" the metal man retorted. "I have great faith that Leonard can kill little Leona far faster than you can save her. We could have a race if you want. If you dare."

Johnny remained silent, knowing Doom was right. Franklin could see the damage that Johnny had inflicted on the metal man, realising that he would have won if only they didn't have Leona. _Why did I do it? How could I hand her over so easily, practically begging for them to take her away? _He had to act, to do something, to help, to pay penance for his actions. _But I can't move._

"Oh, don't look so defeated Johnny," Doom chortled. "You only completely failed. You couldn't stop me, and you can't protect your niece. Have you always been this useless?"

_I have to move. Come on!_ Franklin struggled up onto his elbows, his chest burning and his head spinning. His daughter had really done a number on him, and he knew he deserved it. Eventually he made it onto his hands and knees.

"You're such a damsel Johnny, always getting caught, and rescued, and always failing. You should just give up. You're no hero." Doom continued to belittle Johnny, his attention entirely on the boy in front of him.

The only reason Franklin's attack worked, was because he had the element of surprise. Once on his feet he lunged forward, catching the back of Leonard's head with his right elbow while knocking the knife with his left hand, sending it flying dangerously close to Doom's precious cape. Franklin caught Leona, his momentum still throwing him forward. He twisted so that he landed on his back, Leona's descent softened by his damaged ribcage. "Get them Johnny."

Before Leonard could recover and reclaim his hostage, Johnny set him alight with a stream of fire. Leonard ran around for a few moments screaming, before hitting a wall and slumping, still flaming, to the ground.

Doom watched his assistant until he hit the wall, making no attempt to help him. He glanced down at Franklin and Leona, seeing that Franklin was now far too weak to defend himself, the perfect target. But the opportunity to finally destroy the Human Torch was too good to miss. He returned his attention to the boy just in time to receive fire to the mask.

He let out a growl of frustration at being caught unawares, then let loose two angry streams of lightning, both of them striking Johnny in the chest, sending him flying backwards, creating his own dent in the wall. Johnny retaliated before he had even made it back to his feet, Doom bursting into flames as their eyes met.

Johnny struggled onto his feet as Doom shed his flaming cloak, revealing all his metal skin. They stared at each other for a moment; Doom trying to calculate Johnny's next move and Johnny trying to repeat his previous action. He had started an independent fire without using himself as a source, something he had never done before **[A/N: As far as I know]**. "It seems your powers have advanced somewhat.

"But it's nowhere near enough."

* * *

"We'll check out the first location, regroup with Johnny then calculate our next move," Reed explained as he piloted the fantasticar back towards warehouse. Ben gave a grunt of agreement from his pod at the back, while Sue chewed her lip with worry. Her initial anger seemed to have passed as she realised that it had led to her rash judgements and actions which may very well have led to Doom's success.

"Just hurry," was all she said as she retreated to her inner thoughts. First she had blamed her father, then Doom, but now she just blamed herself. She was full of regret and guilt, mercilessly squashing her rage. By the time she had resolved to act differently this time the fantasticar hovered to a stop outside the warehouse.

"Let's go," Ben announced as he climbed out the fantasticar and landed heavily on the ground. They had covered half the distance between the fantasticar and the door before the warehouse suddenly crackled with blue electricity. A maniacal laugh leaked through the part open door. "He's here!"

Sue ran off ahead the second she saw the sparks, flinging open the doors with a couple of force fields just before she reached them. She skidded to a stop when she saw inside "JOHNNY!"

Johnny dropped the long distance from the roof to the floor, landing with a dull thump. He didn't move again. Doom had had him pinned to the ceiling with a powerful stream of lightning that had conducted with the metal in the roof, electrocuting both Johnny and the building.

Sue took another step forward, but was torn as to what to do. She wanted to know if Johnny was okay, but she had also caught sight of her daughter lying on top of the unconscious form of her father. There was also the overwhelming desire to kick Doom's ass. Her maternal instinct won out though, and she ran to her child.

Reed and Ben followed close behind Sue, Ben launching into battle to exact revenge, and Reed stretching over to Johnny to check on him. Unable to determine anything conclusive, he moved Johnny's still form to the side of the warehouse, out of the way of the main battle. He then went after Ben, jumping into battle. He followed Ben's punch that managed to dent Doom's weakened mask with a whip-like attack, using the elasticity of his arm to strike the opposite cheek to Ben.

Sue slid to her knees beside her father, retrieving her child and hugging her close. Leona smiled, happy to be back with her mother. Sue then glanced down at her father, not quite sure how to react. Part of her felt guilty for inflicting pain on him, while another part of her realised that he must have saved Leona, at least partially making up for past mistakes. Her attention was drawn back to the battle when she heard Reed shout in surprise and pain.

Doom had repelled both of his attackers, throwing them with enough force for Ben to break through the wall, while Reed was flattened like a pancake, drooping to the floor, momentarily stunned. Sue's notice was then caught by movement from where Reed had relocated Johnny. Her brother was conscious, a massive relief, but seemed unaware that he had made himself a target as Doom headed towards him.

"Johnny move!" Sue yelled, preparing a force field to protect him. Before she could however, Doom slipped. "What the...?"

A thin layer of ice lined the ground beneath Doom's feet, sending him tumbling to his knees. A thin stream led the ice back to its source. Kayla lay where Johnny had left her, her eyes open and hand pressed to the ground. With a slight movement of her hand the ice spread thicker, freezing Doom's legs before he could try to get up. He lit up a hand with sparks to retaliate but the ice had already covered his torso, extending down his arms. In seconds the ice coated him in a layer thick enough to stop all movement, seizing his metallic joints.

Once again, Doom was reduced to nothing more than a sculpture.

* * *

**The Baxter Building**

"The fantasticar needs a passenger seat," Ben grumbled, a semiconscious Kayla curled into his lap. Franklin and Johnny, in a similar condition to the doctor, shared the middle section with Reed piloting at the front. Sue had point blank refused to let go of her child, so she carried Leona while hovering on her force field next to the vehicle. She came to land in the hangar first, moving out of the way so that the fantasticar could land. Alicia was standing nearby having been awaiting their return.

"I totally agree," Kayla muttered, managing to climb out by herself. "I should have my own pod, as resident medic."

"Woah, woah," Ben gestured as he came to stand behind her. "Congratulations fer takin' out Doom and all, but this ain't the Fantastic Five."

"Don't worry Ben, I have no intention of stealing your glory," Kayla smiled. She stood back as Ben helped out a rather broken looking Johnny. On the other side Reed was assisting Franklin. They had decided to trust him after Johnny had managed to tell them what he had done to help rescue Leona. "Now, I have some patients to tend to, let's go."

* * *

Two weeks later, Franklin Storm was deemed healthy enough to return to prison and finish his sentence. Sue placed the call the Detective Janice O'Riley, the woman who had told Sue about her father's breakout. She arrived that same day, trailed by two officers to place the arrest.

Kayla had also successfully nursed Johnny back to reasonable health. The electrocution had caused many hairline fractures, leaving Johnny well wrapped up. The fall had broken a few ribs, but thankfully there was minimal internal damage. He had also struck his head, giving him a major concussion, and several other minor injuries, but he had bounced back. When it came to say goodbye to his father he was still bandaged but standing by himself.

Both he and Sue stood side by side, facing their father for the last time before he left in handcuffs. O'Riley had allowed them a moment as Franklin was willingly going with them.

"I'm so very sorry, for everything I've done," Franklin began. He sighed, his guilt clouding his eyes. "I know that means very little, and does nothing to make up for what I've done. It's just a word after all. But I truly mean it; I regret every action I have taken since your mother died. I'm so glad to see that both of you have grown so strong, and I'm proud that you are my children. I only hope that one day I can atone for my mistakes. I understand if you never wish to see me again, but if you'll allow me to, once I've finished my sentence, I will find a way to make everything up to you."

Tears streamed down Sue's face as she flung her arms around her father's neck. There was smile in her voice when she said "You're gonna regret saying that; I'm sure I can think up a few things for you to do, and you won't like them"

She pulled back, wiping the tears from her face. Franklin stood in shock for a moment before relaxing into a smile to match his daughter's. He had hoped for this, but had never dreamed he would get anything akin to forgiveness from either child. When he turned to Johnny, he half-expected to receive the reaction he truly deserved.

Johnny grinned, his wide cocky, grin, legitimate for the first time in over a year. "I'll guess we'll see you then."

Relief rushed through Franklin, and he felt truly happy. Not even the cold metal of the handcuffs being slapped on his wrists could dull his delight. He had five years of his sentence left, and though he knew he deserved more, he hoped the years would fly by so that he could finally repay his children for all the trauma he put them through.

The siblings watched their father be taken away. Johnny took Sue's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. Finally things were back to how they were meant to be.

* * *

**CryoIndustries Detainment Research Division**

"This is truly amazing," Dr. Farrell muttered in admiration. He studied the sample of ice under his microscope, analyzing the unusual structure, akin to that of diamond. He turned to his colleague, the stern woman meeting his gaze with her usual disinterest. "This is an amazing discovery. I was curious that the ice hadn't melted in the least by the time they bought him here, but I had no idea..."

"What are you muttering about?" the woman, Dr. Claus interrupted. She put her clipboard down, then shoved Farrell out of the way so that she could take a look herself. After a moment she whispered "Oh my God."

"I wasn't muttering," Farrell murmured, irritated. He had always hated Claus' attitude. She had more qualifications than he had had birthdays, but her mass of brains had resulted in a complete lack of social skills. Everything below her intelligence level was considered worthless and not worth her precious time; making every discovery Farrell made meaningless in her eyes. When she looked up from the microscope she met Farrell with a look that he had never seen before; curiosity. "See, I told you it was amazing!"

"Do you know what this means?" Claus asked. She turned on Farrell in excitement, grabbing his arms. Her reaction threw him completely, leaving him temporarily baffled. "It's like a fourth state of water. In a liquid state its water, in a gas state its vapour, as a solid its ice, but all these states are affected by temperature. This ice, this compound, it hasn't shown any sign of melting, it's more like crystal. We need to test this; there are so many practical uses for such a substance. What was the source?"

"Th-they didn't say," Farrell stuttered. He detached himself from Claus' grip, edging away slightly. "What kind of practical uses?"

"You call yourself a scientist?" Claus almost yelled, making him flinch. She sighed, and then addressed him as if he were a two year old. "Think about it, ice that doesn't melt. On the small scale it could eradicate the food wastage created by defrosted goods, taking away the need for freezers and the costs of running them. Supermarkets and wholesalers would pay through the nose to get such a thing. Then there are the large scale implications; we could replace the polar ice caps with non-melting ice, reverse the effects of climate change..."

"But we have nowhere near enough to do such a thing," Farrell interrupted. Claus did not look pleased, turning her gaze that could quite possibly have melted the crystal-like ice on him. "W-we can't take anymore from the Doom containment or we'd run the risk of him getting free. It will take time to study and learn to reproduce such a complex..."

"That's why we need the source. I'm going to contact Dr. Richards right away. I want whatever it is that can make such a substance."

* * *

**Ooooaaaaa! Does this spell doom for Kayla? **

**You'll have to wait and see, depending on whether I do (yet another) sequel :D**

**An epilogue is coming up, then this fic is pretty much finished...only took a year :P**

**Please Review!**


	9. Rhythm and Blues

**Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – Lost Time**

**Summary: **

Sequel to Hunted. Sometimes the only way to get things right is to do it yourself. But Doom has found that is so much more fun to stand back and watch as your puppet tears them apart. Siblingness/Family stuff

**Disclaimer: **

I owned nothing then, I own nothing now D:

**Author's Notes:**

And now you get two chaps for the price of one :P Fastest update ever!

As you can tell from the title, this is an edited version of my one-shot Rhythm and Blues. The bulk of it is pretty much the same, but I added a little introduction :P

Enjoy!

* * *

**Epilogue: Rhythm and Blues **

Two months had passed since Leona's kidnapping and the reappearance of Johnny and Sue's father. After the initial trauma such a painful reunion caused, Johnny had fallen into a mental state he hadn't experienced since he was a child. For a while that numbness had in its own way been comforting, shielding him from memories he didn't want to remember and emotions he didn't want to feel. But it had stopped him from feeling the good things too, and made him realised the things he really wanted.

He had finally settled things with Sue, and slowly but surely they were rebuilding their trust. He wanted to protect her just as much as she wanted to protect him, and that was all that mattered. The situation had also forced him to face his father, and the relief of finally finding forgiveness was immense. Two major obstacles overcome. _And now it's time to settle a third._

After knowing Kayla for so long and still never quite getting past the 'friend' stage, Johnny was finally going to push the relationship a bit further. He was more certain than ever that he could make things work between them, and that night was the first step.

He was taking her dancing.

The music in pounded around the walls of the club, reverberating in Kayla's unaccustomed eardrums. She was far from the silence of the white room now. There was a pack of people on the dance floor, all of them wearing far less than her. She glanced down at her simple yet classy ensemble, feeling completely out of place. Why was she here again?

Johnny grinned at her, reading her like a book. As usual he looked fantastic, his clothes tasteful and tight in all the right places. Several times on the journey over he had assured her that she looked beautiful, but her confidence had diminished the moment they entered the door. He linked his arm with hers and said just loud enough to reach her above the music "You need to calm down."

"I stick out like a sore thumb." Kayla replied, tugging at her top.

"Only because you're here with me," Johnny winked, is cocky smile widening. Kayla glared at him with mock annoyance. "Relax, be cool. Embrace the Zen."

"I don't need the Zen," Kayla insisted as they walked into the throng of the club. The music got louder the further in they went; she was sure she was going to be deaf before the evening was out.

"Be more Zen."

Kayla frowned at Johnny in frustration. "I am Zen! See the Zen? If I was any more Zen I would float!"

Laughing, Johnny led Kayla past the dance floor, to the bar that lined the east wall. Despite the club being busy they managed to find a couple of free stools at the end of the bar. Instantly recognising Johnny as a regular, the barman greeted them and served their drinks. After some persuasion, Kayla agreed to a vodka and orange, warning Johnny that it had been a long time since she had had alcohol.

"I can see that," Johnny murmured to himself as Kayla downed her third drink, already showing signs of giddiness. They talked about everything and nothing, and by the sixth round Kayla was slumped across the wooden surface, playing with her empty glass.

"Life sucks, you know that?" she slurred.

"Ah, so you're a miserable drunk," Johnny concluded. He couldn't remember the last time he had been drunk; probably not long before the space expedition. Ever since his body just burned through it before it had any effect.

Kayla blinked at him "I'm not drunk, I am just a wee bit tipsy...wait" she peered at him accusingly "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Johnny avoided the question "Why does life suck, dare I ask?"

"Cause bad stuff happens to good people, like, all the time. Take you and your family for instance. Your dad, great doctor, saving lives etc, then Life come along and take that all away." She emphasised each point with a jab of her empty glass. "You and Sue, superheroes, again with the life saving, and then Life come along again and again, kicking you down. It just aint fair you know," she met his eyes "You know?"

"Yeah I know," Johnny said so quietly, his voice was stolen by the music. He steered the conversation around. "What about you? You were a major surgeon when Life came along."

"Oh no, Life came along way before that." Kayla dropped her glass to the bar and stared at the dregs of orange at the bottom. Johnny saw sadness in her eyes that he had never witnessed before. Her whole demeanour had changed to that of a person who had suffered a great defeat.

"What happened?" Johnny prompted. He placed a comforting hand on her arm and leaned in so that she didn't have to talk as loud.

"The usual, you know. Parents got divorced because my dad had an affair. Then mum remarried," Kayla shuddered at some memory, and then continued, obviously leaving out some of the nastier details. "Ol' Martin weren't a nice man. He could do things that even a serial killer would hesitate over. He didn't care that me and my brother were just kids; made no difference to him." She sighed heavily and toasted her magically refilled glass towards the floor. "He's dead now, though. Won't trouble no one but the devil. Is it wrong to feel sorry for the devil?"

They passed a while in silence. Johnny felt slightly ashamed that it had taken a drunken confession for him to learn something about the doctor. It was only now that he realised how little he knew. But this was a conversation for a more sober Kayla. Suddenly the heavy drum and bass music became dramatically slower. A lot of dancers left the floor and were replaced by couples. Without warning he grabbed Kayla's hand and led her to the edge of the floor. He knew she would never forgive him if he led her right in to the middle.

"What are you..." Kayla yelped. Johnny placed her in a dance hold, his hand snaking to hip. She gazed up at him in surprise. By the time she found her voice they had been moving for half the song. "Dancing?"

"I believe that it was they call this," Johnny replied, his grin bright enough to blind any who were not prepared. They fell in step with each other, gradually growing closer. "You're pretty good. And here I thought I'd have to teach you."

"Teach me?" Kayla scoffed. "You're looking at the First Place Winner of the Under 10's Regional Ballroom Competition." She promptly stepped on his toe. "I'm a little out of practice."

"Well, we'll just have to go dancing more often to get you back in the swing of it," Johnny hinted. He couldn't tell if Kayla had caught it, but if she had she didn't refuse. He pulled her slightly closer, her head resting on his chest. The moment felt so perfect for Johnny, even though she was slightly inebriated. They were there, together, locked in an embrace that was entirely romantic – no 'just friends' uncertainty. He would have quite happily have stayed there, holding her, forever.

Then Life came along.

The first tool of Life's plan came barging through the front door, gun raised and aimed at the ceiling. He was young, his hair long and his clothes shabby. He had made no attempt to hide his identity. His fellow abettors, however, had strived for anonymity, all seven of them wearing unoriginal balaclavas. The only gun was in the hand of the unmasked youth who fired a few warning shots at the ceiling to announce their arrival.

The music came to a sudden halt as screams replaced it. Some people tried to make a run for it, only to find their exits blocked, while others just stood in fear, gazing as if fascinated at the weapon. At the edge of floor, Kayla and Johnny stood side by side. She was still holding him, much to his delight. They watched, calculating how best to neutralise the situation while the lead youth established control.

Now the club was filled with uncharacteristic silence. For a dumb moment, Kayla thought the music had finally fulfilled its mission to deafen her; however the sounds of the raiders were all too clear. The lead youth scanned the quieted crowd, obviously pleased at the current success of his venture. When his eyes settled on Johnny, they were filled only with contempt. Maybe the presence of the superhero put a hitch in his plans, or maybe the guy just didn't appreciate the Fantastic Four's community service, they couldn't tell. He marched up to the Human Torch without fear, pointing the gun at him. Though his height in no way matched Johnny's, he tried to tower over the superhero and threatened "You ain't gonna get involved either, _Torch_. No heroics, no nothing. You're just gonna stand there quietly. You make the slightest move and I'm gonna put one of these bullets in your pretty little head."

Johnny resisted the urge to retort. Instead he waited for the youth to get out of ear shot and muttered to Kayla "Who is this hack?"

"I don't know," Kayla replied just as subtly. "But he's a hack with a gun that doesn't seem to like heroes too much." They watched as the lead youth ordered the bar tender to empty the till and hand over the tip jar. "Looks like they just wanna rob the place. Might be best to just let them, and report them later." She glanced around. "Less collateral damage. And I'm not sure this place is up to fire code."

Johnny agreed with a small nod of his head, although it took all his effort to restrain himself. He could already feel his hand heat up in anticipation for a fireball. Who was this idiot to think that he could just waltz into a club and rob the place? There were so many witnesses, and he had made no effort to be discreet. Did he want to get caught, or did he honestly think he would get enough money to simply disappear?

The lead youth seemed content with the cash the bartender had handed over. He took back his sack, and Johnny was surprised to see that it didn't have 'LOOT' written on the side. He addressed the crowd "Alright then. We'll be leaving now, you folks have a nice evening," he leered at one of the scantily dressed woman near the exit "I know I will."

As the lead youth swaggered towards the door, his gang of masked bandits withdrew from their positions and followed. They kept a wary eye on the club goers, unlike the lead youth who only had eyes for one. The woman he had leered at shied away from him as he approached, but not far enough. With the same hand that he held the gun he grabbed her wrist, and with the other he reached for her exposed cleavage.

Johnny reached the last of his patience. With a glance he set the youths hand a flame, finally mastering his new trick. Despite the pain the kid must have been in, vengeance fuelled him. Hand still aflame he released the girl, swung the gun around and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the bullet leaving the barrel reverberated loudly around the club.

So did the sound of the body hitting the floor.

* * *

**IT'S FINALLY FINISHED! **

**I intend to do a song-fic to clear up this little cliff-hanger just in case I don't do a sequel, so watch this space!**

**Please review! **


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